Weather has not been such a hot topic for ages with the drought
of June and July making us rather nervous as we watched the skies
for any sign of rain. If you can keep watering the plants over
summer, then displays of rudbeckias and zinnias thrive in this
endless sunny weather, as you'll see in our Cutting Garden. Read
more in our latest blog from Sarah Wain.

After a miserably cold and wet beginning to the year, West Dean
Gardens is now bathed in glorious sunshine and the gardeners have
changed their fretting from endless rain to endless watering as
it's been so dry recently.

In terms of fruit blossom, most of it is all before us. Hoorah!
Cherry blossom will soon fill one wall in the pit yard and pears
and apples won't be far behind, so there's plenty to ooh over if
you visit West Dean in the coming month, not forgetting the flowery
meads that have been created throughout the Gardens and
Arboretum.

A soggy December saw 2017 rainfall almost catch up to our
30-year average of nearly 41 inches. It's a joy to see the River
Lavant running once again. There's a lot of hustle and bustle under
glass in January as all the ornamental plants are attended to
before they are set up for display in their respective houses.

Feisty winter weather can either have you huddling by the
fireside or donning outdoor gear for an invigorating walk outdoors.
Even clothed in winter garb, West Dean Gardens offers a special
treat for those of us who enjoy watching, listening to and walking
through the seasonal changes.

Current warm night temperatures and a very odd
apocalyptic-coloured sky have graced autumnal months so far at West
Dean. This unseasonal weather has kept the gardeners wondering
whatever will be next and this year's weather has been so conducive
for box blight, it's been unbelievable.

How quickly the seasons pass, there's a change in the air as
autumn strides into view. Hey-ho it's apple harvest time and Stu
has begun to harvest this year's crop. Fruit is his forté and
harvesting is the natural conclusion to his fruit year. We need to
plant more fruit trees, don't you think?

Glorious summer weather greeted our garden visitors earlier this
summer and after a turn on TV's Gardeners' World recently with
mouth-watering aerial shots of the gardens, even more people are
coming to discover the delights of West Dean.

As mad May segues into a calmer June, now we just have to keep
on top of weeds and watering! Yes folks - it's garden maintenance
time! Anne, the border queen, has her work cut out as she keeps her
climbing charges under control on the Pergola, House and in the
Walled Garden and Shaun, the kitchen gardener, has once again
whipped the vegetable garden into line. Read more about what's
looking good in West Dean Gardens in June.

Now listen you lot, I know that many of you are keen to see
wildflowers and lots of them, so all I can do is invite you to
visit the gardens to walk up to the Arboretum to see the sheets of
cowslips which are looking truly splendid at the moment. Read more
in the latest blog by Sarah Wain.